


Birdtale

by Greyscales (sablescales)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Birds, Gen, Self-Hatred, Social Anxiety, adult reader, birdtale au, reader may or may not be frisk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 06:36:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6843193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sablescales/pseuds/Greyscales
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I had this idea scribbled in a .txt file:<br/>"<b>BIRDTALE:</b> a story where 'monsters' are birds with an oc/reader insert taking care of the birds and another story showing how those same actions in a much different context would be reflected. A world without monsters, and a world with monsters. What kind of birds would sans and Papyrus be? (◕‿◕✿)"</p><p>The reader I'm writing is bitter and disinclined to engage in social interaction with other human beings. If that's your jam, welcome. I write in first person, though the name will avoid being mentioned for better immersion.</p><p>This only has a little written so far, updates will come as ideas do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. prologue

“It's the little things in life, or so I've heard.”

I've been told to slow down and appreciate the little things sometimes, because one can never predict what will come or know for sure what has been missed. To me, it feels like everyone's faces are plastered to some kind of screen these days, either afraid of the stifling silence within oneself, or avoiding the polluting cacophony that fills the spaces between buildings and people. I am not criticizing without empathy; I was and still am one of these people, too. I can't stand silence or people. The only real difference between my past and present self is that, now, I remember to look up and about.


	2. blackouts and beginnings

My favourite time is in the evening around sunset, when everyone is settling down in their nuclear-powered homes in front of their favourite electrical appliances with some food. Bubbles of artificial atmosphere are constructed as screens feed empty eyes and provide a simulation of life into an otherwise dead room. People are unwilling to breathe their own life into the spaces in-between. They keep it inside, and let it grow stale before exhaling everything in a careless toss of **garbage.**

Gross, but comfortable. Humans are trash, I think. I am trash.

_... And it's fine; this is reality._

During this favoured time, I am usually sitting in my living room eating while browsing the internet. I live alone now, so I am not obligated to socialize with anyone at the moment. Great.

_This is my livelihood._

Imagine if this comfortable ritual were to be disturbed! The funniest things happen when the power goes out. The first thing to be noticed is the eery silence and dark. Most city-dwellers are so used to the hum of electricity running through houses and the lights keeping the city visible even at the darkest time of day, so it is unsettling for it all to suddenly... die, and go truly quiet.

So of course, the power actually goes out as I am heading to my couch with my dinner, and despite memorizing where everything is I proceed to trip regardless over my ottoman, spilling my entire dinner across probably the whole room (it's dark at the time, so I can't see). Just as my body hits the floor, so does something else, and I hear something shatter near my head. A string of curses starts up before I can bite my tongue. 

_This is not fine. I am not okay._

A while later, I am shuffling out in pyjama bottoms to my neighbour's house to ask for batteries and possibly a friend.

The words as I speak them are disturbingly emboldened by the unusual emptiness between buildings and people. I've known this person since childhood, and it shouldn't be awkward. I'm never lost in what to say around this person. That's how well I know them!

Tension lines our faces even as we joke, and my neighbour surprises me with an invitation to join them for dinner. I splutter a humble refusal, but easily concede to avoid further awkwardness. I remember the food splattered across my living room floor. Such a waste, as am I.

_I don't think it's me. Perhaps it's the situation._

.,.

The blackout situation continues the next day. My shower is cold and I am sure to get sick later, but I have places to be and I refuse to sit in my stink all day.

Halfway to work, I get a call telling me not to bother coming in today. We can't get anything done with the blackout taking several important machines out of commission. Great! It's not like gas is expensive or anything! I turn around at the next intersection and prepare to spend the rest of the day in loose, comfortable clothing eating ice cream and browsing the web-

Oh. Right. Well, maybe I'll read-

No, I don't have any new books either. The library is too far away for me to consider going, too.

Oh well. I'll find something to do.

I decide to go for a walk and enjoy the nature. I try to make it as comfortable an experience as I can, daring to take some headphones with me to listen to music on my phone (amazingly, with decent battery charge left) and some snacks. I never do that. To me, forests are _mythical places filled with scary monsters_. Bugs, bears, coyotes? Are there coyotes in this area? More bugs. Mostly bugs, actually...

.,.

Tweet, tweet. Tweeeet~

It is a good thing that I delay putting my headphones on for a few minutes, because it is not long before I start hearing something I haven't heard in a while-

Bird chatter! Actual birds, near **my house** , a stone's throw away!

It's not mind-blowing, but without anything else filling my head for once, I find myself appreciating the sound and how close they are. It's beautiful. I wish I could hear it everyday.

.,.

The power company is back into business that evening, with formal apologies not soothing the many irritated customers that suffered while they experienced 'technical difficulties'.

I'm in the backyard. I've decided to set up some bird-attracting features in the backyard. Setting up a feeder and a water dish for birds to bathe in is done easily enough for the first day. It's not the prettiest to look at, but that's not important right now. I can always upgrade later if I want. The real concern is whether it works or not.

God, _please_ work.

I find myself looking out the window anxiously for the rest of the evening, thumbing idly through my usual online haunts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first bird to obviously be introduced will be Toriel. Toriel will be Reader's first bird, so there'll be a learning period there... I haven't decided what bird is Toriel, but I'll probably pick something common for cities.


End file.
